How Time Passes
by fictionlover94
Summary: Elinor reflects as her daughter grew up right in front of her eyes. Then has a chat with her son in law. One shot. R&R?


**This is something that was written on my iPod for the longest time. I've decided to published it and a little fact: The conversation between Elinor and Ian was actually supposed to be between Merida and Ian. It changed as I connected the two of them together.**

"Shona come out wherever you are," said Merida looking for her youngest daughter. Merida's pregnant stomach jutted out in front of her as she looked under the tables in the dining room. A simple game of high and seek confined to one room shouldn't be that hard. The other girls, Kirstin and Elinor, were in lesson's with the former queen. While Merida was entertaining her youngest, who Merida liked, since Shona reminded her of herself.

There was a giggle from behind her, and Merida pretended that it came from another part of the room. Then she walked of in another direction but she quickly turned to where the giggling was coming from. Shona squealed when Merida picked her up and started to tickle her.

"Mummy you found me!" said Shona laughing as Merida continued to tickle her. The blond was moving around squirming around a bit and laughing even more. Soon two more girls ran down into the hallway hearing there sister laugh. All of the girls were in different colored dressed to tell each of them apart. Lenore was in pink, Kirstin in lavender, and Shona in yellow. However Merida could tell with her eyes closed. She birthed them and maternal instinct told her who was who.

Merida then started another game with her other two daughters. Elinor the second, or Lenore, and Kirstin the second, both named after her and Ian's mothers. Elinor the first came down into the dining room after she heard the squealing. At the foot of the steps Elinor had to stop short, all of the girls were gathered around Merida and playing with each other. Then Elinor smiled, it hadn't been long since Merida was a small girl herself, wanting to play her with her mother.

Then she had to sigh, life sure has changed since what has become known as the bear incident. Merida had actually taken the time to get to know her suitors, and then eventually marry one of them. It was still an awe to her pretty much about everything. Including her powerful appetite toward fish still. What still kind of shocked her was that Harris had a son already, and he was already 16! Then again Claudia and Hamish did know each other for a very long time to feel love.

Elinor looked over at her daughter to see Merida close her eyes and start counting. All three girls hidden in various places throughout the room. All three girls were going to turn 5 years old very soon. Next week in fact which made Elinor sad that her granddaughters were growing up so fast. She heard some food steps before turning and facing her son in law, Ian.

"Am I missing something?" he said looking at her. Ian peered into the dining hall and smiled as he saw Merida looking in all the wrong places, on purpose of course. She didn't want to ruined the game for them. Ian was hesitant, he wanted to join in but it didn't want to disrupt anything.

The former queen looked at her daughter and then at Ian.

"Ian do you want to go have some tea? Let them finish there game?" asked Elinor gently. Ian looked at his mother in law and a small smile crossed his face. Shyly he nodded and walked off with her. Both headed toward the kitchens as they walked a couple of the maids bowed to Ian, who only waved his hand to have them stop. One of the maids daughters smiled up at the both of them with a look of awe.

Finally both of them were where they wanted to be. The kitchen was empty except for a few cooks that had left when the king and former queen came and sat down. Elinor shook her head like she was the fool, they needed the tea and a snack of course.

"No, no let me get you something," he said getting up and then pushing his chair in. Elinor chuckled and let him get some muffins and cups of tea. It wasn't long before there was a cup of tea and a muffin or two on her plate. Both of them sat quietly at the table and it was a bit awkward. Ian was the one who usually talked to Fergus the most, about hunting and getting advice.

Elinor took a bit of her muffin and then dabbed her napkin to her lips to get rid of any loose crumbs.

"Do you like retirement?" asked Ian and Elinor only looked at him. "You know from being queen and everything?"

Elinor smiled and giggled some at this, he reminded her of Fergus at times. No doubt that had to be one reason why Merida had chosen him in the first place. Maybe not the same mannerisms, but the same in different ways. She tilted her head her smile never wavering.

"Sometimes, what I actually miss was giving Merida her lessons. Well when I first started to teach her that is, she was so willing to learn. Every once in awhile I would pass by her room to see a candle still lite and a book in her hand. Now I'm just happy that I'm helping Merida teach the girls."

Elinor took a sip of her tea and Ian picked at his muffin some. He smiled when he heard that, his mother used to read him a story every night. His favorite was when she made up the story, sometimes right on the spot.

"What about you Ian, do you like being king?"

His blue eyes meet her amber ones and a thin smile on his face. "Sometimes," he said with the same cheeky answer. Elinor chuckled and said exactly what she was thinking.

"You know sometimes you remind me so much of Fergus," she said and Ian looked at her with eyes wide. "You do, maybe not the same mannerisms, but the way you treat Merida and the girls. You're gentle and patient, yet protect those you love. Brandon should be proud of you as being king."

Ian blushed when he heard that, he wasn't sure how to react to that. Finally all of sudden he decided to say something about Elinor, but his mouth seemed to work at a different pace rather then his head.

"Sometimes I find myself jealous of Merida sometimes," he started to say stuttering some and repeating his words. Elinor looked at him with a look that only asked... Why?

"When that bear incident happened between the two of you, I couldn't help but felt angry at her. I mean, she had you all along you were only pushing her along into the right direction. All it took was her to face some responsibilities and accept that all she had to do was be a queen. I had to grow up faster then usual. My... My mother died, when I was 11 and it was so hard on all of us. I used to feel that way sometimes when dad would come visit the king, I would see the both of you just laughing and having a great time. It made me miss all of the stories and how she would make us laugh even at the smallest of jokes..."

He was trying to hold in tears by now, he really did miss her, a lot. Elinor who put her hand on his shoulder, already at tears blurring up her vision. Elinor had been close to all of the ladies of each clan. Kirstin Macguffin was one of those women you couldn't help but smile and joke with, even when sometimes you couldn't quite understand her.

"You are a great mum, and believe it or not Merida takes after you." Elinor bit her lip and wiped her cheeks a stood up. Ian looked up at her, did he say something to offend her? She leaned in and only hugged him, and his face still red hugged her back. Then she pulled back smiling at him.

"She had to get it from somewhere. Do you want to see if they'll let us join there game now?" Ian smiled back and both of them walked back to the dining hall to play a nice game of hide and seek.


End file.
